Fertilizer Application

Thread: Need help on fertilizer app pricing

We offer a full range of lawn/landscape maintenance/snow removal to our customers but not fertilizer/weed control applications. Have been asked to quote 2.5 acres of property we currently mow because our customer believes they are getting hammered on price by the contractor/supplier they are using. Any idea on what they should be paying? We are not getting into the application business but will be looking for some one in our area to work with under no compete clause.

Rumor has it that a big company around here charges 6 dollars per thousand sqft plus $22 base fee.
About $675.40 per application. Of course, some companies discount big properties even though the materials and labor cost per thousand sqft is about the same.

I'm in NC so I don't know your costs, but that sounds about right for a big company. We are somewhat smaller (about 15 employees) and I would come in a tick less than that and make great money. We price a little differently, using 5000 sqft increments. Most of our properties are 1 acreage up so there is no need to break it down any smaller. Hope that helps

I think it depends on your application equipment...i can do 2.5 acres with my z spray in about an hr and a half depending on if its flat and open also depends on amount of weeds. I would charge $400 per app and $600 for grub control here in the northeast.

Don't forget to charge for "machine time". Suppose the payments, maintenance and gas cost you $2000 per year. And you use it 200 hours. You need to charge $10 for each hour that it is used. Likewise for your truck and mileage cost (unless you get free gas and truck payments).

And don't forget to charge for "labor burden", the cost associated with an employee, Fica, other tax, insurance and benefits. And if the employee gets one paid holiday for every 100 days worked, you only got 99 percent of his labor. If his wage and burden amount to $25 per hour, divide by .99--the real cost is $25.25 per hour.